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I’ve long been a fan of Hunter S. Thompson, author of such classics as “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Hell’s Angels.” So when I saw a book by his son, Juan F. Thompson, published in January I itched to get a copy.

Although Hunter was an alcoholic, and at times a tyrant, there was much more to him, much that we can admire and learn from. Here are ten takeaways.

Live where you can be yourself.

For Hunter Thompson, that meant living on a large ranch in Colorado. As his son put it: “Having privacy and space around him, where he could not be hassled or evicted, where he could sit on his porch naked, and where he could shoot large-caliber pistols from his front doorway [was very important to Hunter].”

If you can’t work in an office job don’t.

Working in an office is unnatural. For some it’s intolerable. Thompson Sr. eked out a life as a freelance writer. Find what works for you, then make it happen.